Dead Against Free Trade.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 6239, 11 June 1890, Page 3

Dead Against Free Trade.

If proofs were needed of the continued protectionist tendencies of the Canadian people, it is to bo found in tho proposals which tho Dominion House of Commons has just accepted at the instance of the Government. The burden of the Budget speech of Mr Foster, the Dominion Minister of Finance, was ‘‘ increased protection to infant industries.” In the course of his remarks, the hon. gentleman emphatically denied that free trade principles were in the ascendancy either in Canada or in tho United Stales. The predictions that the system of protection was doomed had not, ho said, been fulfilled. 1 ast year when (.he election in the United States was run on the question of a higher or lower amount of protection, (ho country favoured greater protection. So, too, nothing had occurred in Europe to show that tho nations of that contineut were losing faith in protection j while certainly nothing bai happened in Canada to show that Canadians wore any less strongly in favour of that principle. Under the national policy Canada had made immense strides. Evolved as it was from a chaos <f scattered provinces the Dominion had daily advanced in the view of the world, and to-day stood self-contained and confident, wielding away over the larger half of the English speaking possessions of the continent. As f r the past year it had been for Canada a period in which want had been practically unknown ; labour had been well employed, and had found good remuneration, and from this season of prosperity the five millions of Canadian people looked for the advent of years equally prosperous and equally happy. But despite the roseate hues in which the Minister of Finance thus painted the condition of Canada,_ be admitted that the goal of the Protectionists’ ambition had not yet been readied. The tariffs were not, ha said, like confessions of faith which, when once settled, must endure for centuries. They must change according to the circumstances of tho country and the needs of the limes. If now products were made new tariff provisions must also be made, and it was the proud boast of the Conservative party that under the national policy new industries which needed attention did spring up. Hence it was proposed to give increased protection to tbo Canadian production of flour and meat, The duty on flour is to be raised to the level of that on wheat viz,, from 50 cents to 75 cents per barrel so as to keep tho market for Canadians. Why, too, should not Canada raise all the meat she needs. To aid this effort the duties on bacon, ham, mess pork, salted and fresh meats, prepared meats, tried lard, live cattle, hogs and sheep are to bo raised 50 per cent. To compensate tho maritime provinces where large quantities ot United States meat are now imported —even the British army contingent at Halifax being now fed on foreign meat imported free of duty—the duties on corn, meal, and molasses are to be lessened, while seed corn for ensilage purposes is placed on the free list. Clothing, hots, umbrellas, and oilier kindred imports are also to bear heavier duties, though on the other hand mining machinery of all kinds not manufactured in Canada is to bo placed on the free list for three years, and the material used in the construction of iron and steel vessels is to bo freed from taxation.